Quiz: Howstuffworks

How Impressive Is Your General Knowledge?

Robin Tyler

Image: laflor/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Some people have it and others don't. Where do you fall on the general knowledge scale? For some of us, having decent general knowledge doesn't affect our daily lives. It's just not a necessity. For others, having expanded general knowledge is vital. Why? Well, imagine a journalist who doesn't know who the president of the United States was 20 years ago. It's their job to know information like this, don't you think?

And it's not something that's difficult to gain. General knowledge is about following what's going on in the world around you. And the easiest way to do this is to simply read, read and read some more. Read about things in history that interest you. And that will take you places and is guaranteed to open new worlds!

So let's get back to the task at hand. You are here to try your luck at our tough general knowledge quiz, where you can expect questions about just about anything!

A range of questions faces you, taking in many different general knowledge subjects. These questions span many ages, from ancient history to modern times and a range of subjects from U.S. presidents to sports. How do you think you will fare? Will you pass with flying colors? Well, why not take the plunge and let's see what you can score.

Good luck!

True or false? An expedition by Rob Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel discovered the wreck of the Titanic in 1985.

True

False

Thought to be lost forever, the wreck of the Titanic was discovered by Rob Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel in 1985. Sitting at a depth of around 3.8 kilometers (almost 2.4 miles) on the surface of the ocean, the wreck is in two large pieces, the bow and the stern. Much of the bow is still intact, but the stern is completely destroyed.

On the periodic table of elements, what is the designation for silver?

C

Ag

Sn

Hg

Silver is represented by the letters Ag on the Periodic Table of Elements. Although silver is found naturally, it is often harvested as a byproduct of other refining operations. This includes gold, copper, zinc and lead. Of all the metals, silver conducts electricity and heat most effectively.

What does AMA stand for on the social network site, Reddit?

All My Ads

Add Me Always

Ask Me Anything

None of the above

Reddit hosts AMA's or Ask Me Anything about a range of subjects and with a host of different people. These include actors, actresses, musicians, game developers, filmmakers and even presidents. AMAs have been conducted with Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Madonna and Snoop Dogg, among others.

In Europe, which country was the first to give the vote to women?

England

Austria

Germany

Finland

Not only was Finland the first country to let women vote, but it was also the first to allow them to stand as political candidates. All of this happened in 1906. In 2000, Tarja Halonen became the first female president of the country. She served until 2012.

In computing, what does "CPU" stand for?

Central Processing Unit

Computer Power Unit

Commerce Processing Unit

None of the above

The brain of any computer, laptop and other tech devices, a central processing unit interprets and processes a variety of commands that it receives from both the hardware in the computer as well as any software that might be running. Without a CPU, a digital device will not work.

What does a farrier do?

Makes barrels

Makes horseshoes

Makes arrows

Makes hats

If you need to know all about horses hoovers, chat with a farrier! Although most of us think a farrier is a form of a blacksmith, they are extremely knowledgeable about caring for horse hooves and certainly do more than make horseshoes. Farriers can trim and balance horse hooves as well as add shoes when necessary.

Name the heavy metal band founded by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield.

Megadeth

Metallica

Iron Maiden

Judas Priest

Formed in California in 1981, Metallica is widely acknowledged as the foremost heavy metal band on the planet. The band was started by two friends, Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield. After releasing four albums of mostly thrash metal, 1991's self-titled "Metallica" saw the band shift its sound to more traditional heavy metal. The album sold 16 million copies but some fans accused the band of selling out. By 2017, Metallica had sold close to 60 million albums in the United States.

In which Charles Dickens novel would you read about the character, Fagin?

"David Copperfield"

"Olivier Twist"

"Great Expectations"

"A Christmas Carol"

"Oliver Twist" is the story of an orphan boy employed in a workhouse but who falls in with a gang of child thieves. Their leader is a nasty man called Fagin who ruthlessly controls the children, getting them to do his bidding and steal on a daily basis.

At the turn of the 20th Century, British troops were fighting Boer soldiers. From which country did the come?

South Africa

Kenya

Australia

New Zealand

The Boers were a group of Afrikaans-speaking people who had descended from the Dutch who colonized South Africa from 1652 onward. Once the British took over the Cape of Good Hope, however, they decided to move inland and make a home for themselves. After declaring independent areas to live in, the British went to war with them over two conflicts called the Anglo-Boer War. Although the British won through sheer strength of numbers, the Boers proved to be worthy opponents.

True or false? While in office, President Bill Clinton and his family had a pet cat named Socks?

True

False

Socks was the official White House pet during Bill Clinton's tenure as President of the United States. A stray, Socks came into the Clinton family in 1991. In 1997, the Clintons adopted Buddy the Labrador, who joined Socks as a White House pet. The two did not see eye to eye and Socks eventually moved to the home of Clinton's secretary, Betty Currie. Socks died in 2009.

In 2016, which murder mystery board game brought in Dr. Orchid to replace Mrs. White?

Monopoly

Clue

Snakes and Ladders

Twister

After killing poor Mr. Boddy for more than 70 years, housekeeper Mrs. White was replaced as a suspect in the board game Clue by Dr. Orchid, a new female protagonist. Clue is called Cluedo in Europe and was first released in 1949.

Which country is known as the Red Dragon?

South African

Bhutan

China

Chad

Dragons form a massive part of Chinese mythology and we certainly associate the color red with China, so it's easy to see why the country is called the Red Dragon. In the West, people associate the red part of this name with communism.

In 1990, rapper Vanilla Ice had a massive hit with "Ice, Ice Baby." Sampling the bass line from Queen's "Under Pressure," the song was the first rap song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was originally a B-side.

Can you name the capital of Scotland?

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Aberdeen

Cardiff

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland at least since the 1400s. Both the Scottish government and parliament are based in Edinburgh, as well as Scotland's Supreme Court. Edinburgh is home to around half a million people.

Can you name the U.S. city that was the first to ever host the Olympics?

Atlanta

Los Angeles

St. Louis

New York

The 1904 Summer Olympics took place in the United States city of St. Louis, Missouri, and was held over a period of five days. Of course, travel was difficult in those days so most of the athletes participating were from the United States and Canada. Only 65 of more than 500 were from overseas. Boxing and freestyle wrestling were among the sports to make their debut at the event.

Insulin is produced by which part of the body?

Heart

Spleen

Epiglottis

Pancreas

It is the job of the pancreas to make insulin. In type 1 diabetics, the pancreas cannot do that, therefore they have to inject insulin, often before meals.

Which of these is the largest ocean on Earth?

Pacific

Atlantic

Indian

South China Sea

The Pacific Ocean is the largest on Earth. It covers almost 62 and a half million miles, around 30 percent of the surface of the globe. It has an average depth of almost 14,000 feet. Its deepest point, the Mariana Trench, is 36,200 feet deep.

Who was the voice of Puss in Boots in the "Shrek" movies?

Enrique Iglesias

Antonio Banderas

Ricky Martin

Lorenzo Lamas

Voiced by Antonio Banderas, Puss in Boots is one of the main characters in the "Shrek movies," first making an appearance in "Shrek 2." The character was given its own standalone movie in 2011. Puss in Boots is, of course, a fairytale character that first originated in Italy in the 1500s from the pen of author Giovanni Francesco Straparola.

He was Neo in "The Matrix" and Bill in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Who is he?

Seth Rogan

Keanu Reeves

Charles Bronson

Toby McGuire

Keanu Reeves was a Hollywood veteran by the time "The Matrix" came along in 1999. This trilogy, however, pushed him into superstardom status. Of course, he is now known for his portrayal of John Wick in the "Matrix" movies.

What is the name given to a pass in American football, flung in the direction of a​ receiver when time is running out on the clock?

Hail Mary

Spray and pray

Fling and cling

Flipper

When an American football team is down by a touchdown or fewer points, with only a few seconds left on the clock, the quarterback might throw a Hail Mary pass in the direction of one of the receivers in the hope that they will catch it and score to win the game. These passes are not often successfully completed.

Name the smallest country in the world?

Bhutan

Chad

Vatican City

Belgium

Vatican City, the home of the Pope, is the smallest country in the world. This city-state enclave is found within the Italian city of Rome. It's only home to around 1,000 people and covers an area of 44 hectares (around 109 acres). Vatican City came into existence in 1929 at the signing of the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Holy See.

The study of Entomology is the study of what?

Sharks

Horses

Insects

Birds

Entomology is the study of insects and their relationship to humans, their surroundings and the Earth. It forms part of zoology. We're not sure who would want to study creepy crawlies, though!

The Berlin Wall, separating East and West Berlin, was torn down in what year?

1989

1900

2001

1971

With the end of the Cold War in 1989, the Berlin Wall, which split the city in half, came down. Family members, who had not seen each other in more than 40 years, were reunited.

In what year did the first human heart transplant take place?

1988

1967

1971

1922

Performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard, the first human heart transplant took place on December 3, 1967. The patient, Louis Washkansky, lived for 18 days after the operation, before dying of pneumonia.

When was the arcade game, Space Invaders, released?

1978

1990

1981

1983

Released in 1978, Space Invaders was designed by Tomohiro Nishikado. It was a smash hit and in five years, had grossed $3.8 billion! It was originally going to be called Space Monsters but that was changed to Space Invaders before its release.

Can you name the woman aviator who crossed the Atlantic solo in 1932?

Louise Thaden

Bessie Coleman

Amelia Earhart

Poncho Barnes

On May 20, 1932, Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She achieved the feat in 14 hours and 56 minutes. In 1937, she disappeared while trying to circumnavigate the globe with Fred Noonan in a Lockheed Model 10-E Electra.

Do you know the name of the French wrestler popular in the WWE in the 1980s who died at the age of 46?

Mr. Perfect

Andre the Giant

Sgt.Slaughter

The Undertaker

Born André René Roussimoff, this '80s wrestling superstar stood 7 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 520 pounds. He wrestled all around the world but made a name for himself in the World Wrestling Federation, now known as the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). He died in 1993 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame the same year.

An image of the sun features on the flag of which country?

Brazil

England

Argentina

New Zealand

The Argentinian flag is certainly very different from most. Consisting of two light blue horizontal bands, one at the top and one at the bottom, a white band in the middle, with a sun in the center. This sun even has a face with defined eyes, eyebrows, nose and lips.

Can you name the American president during the first Gulf War in 1991?

George W. Bush

Jimmy Carter

George H.W. Bush

Ronald Reagan

George H.W. Bush was the U.S. president who ordered the invasion of Iraq in 1990. It was divided into two phases. The first saw a build-up of troops to encourage Iraq to leave Kuwait, which they had invaded earlier. Afterward​, coalition forces invaded Iraq.

From the options below, where does Thor come from?

Krypton

Earth

Asgard

Korugar

Superhero Thor Odinson, the God of Thunder, is from the realm Asgard which also contains a city of the same name. Initially, the realm is ruled by Odin but when he dies, Thor is proclaimed as its ruler.

In what year did the United States host the Soccer World Cup?

2002

2006

1970

1994

Held for a month between June and July, the 1994 Soccer World Cup was the first to be held in the United States. It was a massive success, highly profitable and still has the highest average attendance per game of all the World Cups to date (nearly 69,000). Brazil beat Italy 3-2 on penalties in the final after the teams were deadlocked 0-0 after extra time.

Popular golfer Rory McIlroy is from which country?

Ireland

England

Scotland

Northern Ireland

A four-time majors winner, Rory McIlroy hails from Northern Ireland. He turned professional in 2007 and won his first major, The U.S. Open in 2011. The only major he is yet to win is the U.S. Masters.

Which Hollywood funnyman was the voice of the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin"?

Jim Carrey

Robin Williams

Eddie Murphy

Chris Rock

Robin Williams's popularity was huge at the time of the release of "Aladdin" in 1992. Williams improvised and ad-libbed many of the speaking parts of the Genie character.

Who was named Chancellor of Germany in 1933?

Adolf Hitler

Otto von Bismarck

Josef Goebbels

Rudolph Hess

Hitler became the chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933. He was appointed by the then president, Paul von Hindenburg. Effectively, this gave Hitler control of the country, and when Von Hindenburg died, Hitler declared himself as Fuhrer (German word meaning leader)​.

True or false? The lunar module aboard Apollo 11, the first to land on the moon, was called "Hornet."

True

False

No, it was the "Eagle." "The Eagle has landed" - other than Neil Armstrong's words with his first step, this is probably the most famous phrase spoken in space. It landed at 20:17:40 UTC on Sunday, July 20, 1969.

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